Healthy Eating for Weight Loss: 8 Foods That Keep You Full (and 4 That Don’t)

Healthy Eating for Weight Loss: 8 Foods That Keep You Full (and 4 That Don’t)

Anyone who’s ever walked away from the table only to be starving moments later (Chinese food, we’re looking at you) knows that certain edibles can leave you more famished than you were before you ate ‘em. If you want to stay satisfied longer—a key to weight control—remember this magic trio: protein, healthy fats and fiber. Here, nutritionists’ favorite healthy filler-uppers.

Food That Keeps You Full: Eggs

For just 70 calories, an egg delivers more than 6 grams of protein, says Shelley McGuire, Ph.D., a spokesperson for the American Society for Nutrition. One study found that women who ate eggs for breakfast lost more weight than those who had bagels with the same number of calories, possibly because all that protein kept their hunger in check. The egg eaters reported more energy too!

Food That Keeps You Full: Soup

Studies show that foods containing a lot of water can keep you feeling full. And when you start a meal with soup, you activate brain signals that begin to tell you you’ve had enough to eat—so that by the time you finish your second course, you’ll be satisfied. “Go for a broth-based bowl with fiber-rich veggies like celery and spinach,” says Amy Jamieson-Petonic, R.D.

Food That Keeps You Full: Avocados

Their healthy monounsaturated fats may help slow the rate at which your stomach empties, says McGuire. They’re also loaded with folate, potassium and vitamin E, and early research suggests that foods containing these nutrients may be more satiating than others.

Food That Keeps You Full: Low-Fat Greek Yogurt

Seventeen grams of protein in a 6-ounce container (that’s more than you get in four slices of turkey!) means major hunger control.

Food That Keeps You Full: Oatmeal

All that filling fiber (4 grams per half-cup serving in the old-fashioned variety; 3 grams in the instant) helps this breakfast stick to your ribs. It also provides a surprising 4 to 7 grams of protein (the steel-cut kind typically has the most)—and that’s before you add milk. For extra staying power, toss in blueberries, which have 4 grams of fiber per cup.

Food That Keeps You Full: Apples

“Only 80 calories, but one can be as filling as a meal because of the 4 grams of fiber and high water content,” says Jamieson-Petonic.

Food That Keeps You Full: Beans and Lentils

Eat them and you may end up eating less of everything else. “They’re high in protein—about 7 grams per half cup—and high in complex carbohydrates, the type that take longer to break down,” says McGuire.

Food That Keeps You Full: Nuts

“They have the perfect combination of fiber, protein and fat,” says Jamieson-Petonic. The nutritionists’ faves? Walnuts, almonds and pistachios. Just stick to an ounce or less to avoid calorie overload.